PGIMER’s resident doctors’ strike affects health services for

2nd day Chandigarh, Aug 23 (PTI) Medical services at the premierPost-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research(PGIMER) were affected for the second day today as theresident doctors continued with their strike demanding"adequate security" on the campus. Over a thousand senior and junior resident doctorscontinued to boycott work for the second consecutive day,affecting the health services. Many patients claimed they were asked to return homewithout treatment in the wake of the strike. The out-patient departments (OPDs) functioned with thinstaff and the authorities struggled to keep the emergencyservices functional. The strike also affected patients admitted to variouswards. The doctors were protesting against the alleged assault ona resident doctor late on Sunday night in medical emergency bya son of a patient, who blamed negligence by the PGIMER staffwhich allegedly led to his mother’s death. The resident doctors took out a march on the campus andraised slogans against the incident. The doctors, who are demanding adequate securitymeasures to prevent such incidents in future, alleged therelatives of a patient "manhandled" one of them on duty. The relatives blamed the doctors for allegedly notattending to the patient brought to the emergency wing. Meanwhile, PGIMER authorities said keeping in view thestrike, it was decided to reduce the OPD registration timingsfor the second day today. However, registration timings of Radiotherapy OPDdealing with cancer patients was not reduced, they added. Every day, patients come from various states, includingPunjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, parts ofUttar Pradesh come to PGI for treatment. PTI SUN AQS RGAQS